Resetting Parameters
by CyberMum
Summary: A short coda to a lovely piece by Delta Story


Resetting Parameters
    
    Resetting Parameters
    
    By: CyberMum
    
     
    
    ...Perhaps it's now time to reset those parameters… 
    
    before we lose each other forever.
    
     
    
    From: RESETTING PARAMETERS
    
    by Delta Story (March 2001)
    
    http://www.geocities.com/delta_story/reset.html
    
     
    
     
    
    ~*~
    
     
    
    Chakotay felt her presence in the darkened mess hall before he
    
    actually saw his captain's silhouette against the view port.He had
    
    been on his way to his quarters after particularly sensitive
    
    mediation meeting between Mortimer Harren and
    
    Ensign Chell when he decided that a midnight snack was
    
    in order as a reward for brokering a peaceful resolution to 
    
    their dispute. He had heard through the grapevine that Neelix had finally
    
    managed a decent replica of pecan pie and Chakotay was
    
    hoping against hope that he would find at least one slice left over.
    
    It was very late, well after 0200 hours, and he hadn't expected
    
    to find anyone in the mess hall, let alone the captain.
    
     
    
    She was obviously deeply lost in thought. Her back was 
    
    to him but he could read the tension in her stance. 
    
    He stood silently and watched her and wondered, not for 
    
    the first, or even the tenth time what drove her.
    
    He had often told her he had never encountered anyone quite 
    
    like her, and that was the truth.Exasperating, stubborn, 
    
    aggravating and enchanting.She never ceased to amaze and 
    
    amuse him. And drive him to distraction.But he had never 
    
    had a friend like her before either. And it was as a concerned 
    
    friend that he regarded her now.
    
     
    
    She sighed deeply; it was almost a shudder, then started 
    
    and turned toward him.
    
     
    
    "Chakotay."
    
     
    
    He could have sworn there was a catch in her voice.
    
     
    
    "Kathryn.What are you doing up so late?" He grinned at her. 
    
    "Please don't tell me you've eaten the last piece of pecan pie.
    
    I've been thinking about it that pie for hours."
    
     
    
    "No. I..." her voice trailed off and he noticed that her fist 
    
    was clenched, a sure sign of her agitation.
    
     
    
    He took a step toward her.
    
     
    
    "Kathryn.What is it?Can I help?"
    
     
    
    "I don't know" she said.
    
     
    
    "Try me."He quipped.
    
     
    
    She looked up at him and surprised him again.She laughed.
    
     
    
    "If only you knew..." she said.
    
     
    
    He raised an eyebrow in response.
    
     
    
    "If I knew what?"
    
     
    
    "Let's go look for that pie." She respond, and brushed 
    
    by him as she headed towards the galley.
    
     
    
    Chakotay turned and followed her.
    
     
    
    "You check in the refrigeration unit under the counter" 
    
    she directed, "I'll make sure he hasn't hidden it 
    
    with the vegetables."
    
     
    
    He did as he was told and a moment later she heard him grunt.
    
     
    
    "Got it!" he said and he triumphantly produced a plate which 
    
    held a fairly sizable chunk of the desired desert.
    
     
    
    "Forks" she replied and waved the utensils at him. "Let's go."
    
     
    
    They headed out of the galley to the nearest table.
    
     
    
    "Hey!" Kathryn said a few moments later. "I know you're hungry 
    
    Chakotay, but you really must leave a few bites for your captain. 
    
    It's in the Star Fleet rule book."
    
     
    
    "I don't recall that regulation." he said, his mouth full of pie.
    
     
    
    "It's in there. Believe me.It's listed in the index under desert 
    
    protocols."
    
     
    
    "I must have missed it" he replied.I only read up to 
    
    pecan parameters..."
    
     
    
    The look on her face stopped him from continuing.
    
     
    
    "Kathryn" he repeated his earlier question. "What is it? Let me
    
    help you."
    
     
    
    "It's those damn parameters," she whispered.
    
     
    
    "Parameters....?" He started to ask and his voice suddenly 
    
    trailed off as he recalled the conversation that had taken 
    
    place between them so many years ago.
    
     
    
    Kathryn was silent.She put her fork down carefully and 
    
    gazed intently at her first officer.
    
     
    
    He stared back at her.He had to wait this one out.
    
     
    
    "I've been thinking about it," she said at last. "And I believe 
    
    we have to re-define our parameters."
    
     
    
    "I don't know that I can do that." He heard the echo of 
    
    another time, and another place.
    
     
    
    "I was afraid of that." She said sadly.She picked up her 
    
    fork again and started to play with the remaining bit of 
    
    pie on the plate between them.
    
     
    
    Chakotay reached out and stilled her hand with his.
    
     
    
    "Kathryn, you were the one who designed and defined your 
    
    own parameters. I never wanted any and I never had any. So 
    
    I have no parameters to re-define, re-set, or even delete. 
    
    I agreed to yours because ... well because they seemed so 
    
    important to you. But any barriers, protocols or parameters 
    
    are yours and yours alone."
    
     
    
    He stood up, pulling her with him.
    
     
    
    "But remember this, Kathryn Janeway" he warned."Once 
    
    those parameters are gone, and once those barriers are down, 
    
    there will be no going back.We will only go forward."
    
     
    
    She nodded.
    
     
    
    "I know."She said.
    
     
    
    And she moved forward.Into his arms.
    
     
    
    G
    
     
    
     


End file.
